AF-S Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR Review

A middle-of-the-line lens, the AF-S Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR integrates an ED glass lens and three aspherical lenses, as well as a coating against flare. Its focal-length range extends from wide-angle to traditional lengths for taking portraits. The autofocus is driven by an ultrasonic (SWM) motorized internal focus (IF design). This lens’s lightness (465 grams) is particularly appreciated as a counterweight (so to speak) to the 830 grams of the APS-C reflex trans-standard lens announced at the same time, the AF-S DX Nikkor 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR.

Price and availability

The 24-85mm FX is being offered at 599 euros, an attractive enough sales price that may be a precursor to a medium-format camera that will be a bit more accessible to everyone than the D800.

Principal characteristics

Focal length: 24–85mm

Zoom range: 3.5x

Maximum aperture: f/3.5–4.5

Nikon VR lens image stabilization

Circular diaphragm with 7 leaves

3 aspherical lenses

1 ED glass element

SWM ultrasonic motor and IF design

Minimum focus distance: 38cm at all focal lengths

Maximum reproduction ratio: 0.22x

Filter diameter: 72mm

Lens diameter: 78mm

Lens length: 82mm

Weight: 465 grams

Price: 599 euros (tax included)

Further readings for the AF-S Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR Review

To provide photographers with a broader perspective about mobiles, lenses and cameras, here are links to articles, reviews, and analyses of photographic equipment produced by DxOMark, renown websites, magazines or blogs.

Comments

Thanks!

Many thanks for the review. One question about these measurement: are the sharpness results reported for a certain distance taken from single spot or averaged over all points at that distance?The reason I'm asking is that I've used several copies of the lens and they all had unusualy high decentering with at least one of the quarters of the image looking much worse than the other ones. This is most obvious at the long end of the zoom and can be also seen in many other tests done online.

First replies for this comment

Re: Thanks!

Great question, I hope you get an answer. My experience is that lenses aren't all 'perfect' they are arguably good, but some sort of 'averaging' analysis would be great, whether that is for different areas of the image or focus distance, or even different units.

The bottom line is that these analyses are good, and permit reasonable inter lens comparisons. On the basis of DxOMark's analysis for the Nikkor 24-85 VR, and a similar analysis of the Nikkor 24-120 f4 VR, there was no reason to go for the far more expensive 24-120. This was particularly the case when I was able to pick up an unopened 24-85 VR for about $900 less than the 24-120 from an individual who bought the D600 package with the free 24-85, and wanted to get some of his original purchase price back.

I'd love to see more detail on the testing procedure, but at some point you need to just move ahead and do the best with what you have and can afford.